HarBUG News & Issues Home

25/02/08 HarBUG's Response to the Natural Greenspaces and Country Park for Didcot - Feasibility Study

Please find below access to HarBUG's response to South Oxfordshire District Council's proposal for Greenways.

Opens window with Word document of the HarBUG response.

04/02/08 New Logo for HarBUG

HarBUG has a new logo, pictured top left. The logo was picked out of from several options by members.

The logo is design to reflect that HarBUG is based at a Science campus in a rural area, hence the use of the Green colour and modern molecular style design.

26/01/08 A4185 Cycle / Footpath Plans Approved

At our AGM last summer UKAEA revealed proposed plans for an upgrade of the footpath alongside the A4185 into a combined cycle / footpath from the Sustrans route 44 through to the turn for the Chilton primary school, funded by UKAEA and STFC. The plans are now well advanced and although there are one or two points to clear with Oxfordshire County Council UKAEA hope to have the path finished by the summer.

The main points of the plans are: The path coming off route 44 will remain and not be affected by the building of the new hotel. Curie Avenue junction will have speed cushions on the roads to calm traffic and a Yellow cross box to stop traffic from blocking the cycle crossing. The path remains the same along the edge of the sports field but with an improved junction at the Harwell main entrance, the concrete wall has to remain at the entrance. A new traffic island will be placed in the Harwell main entrance to aid the safe crossing of the junction. The footpath down to Fermi Avenue is to be widened to 2m and reclassified as a cycle / footpath. Zebra crossings are to be built at the entrance to Fermi Avenue. The footpath from Fermi Avenue to the Chilton primary school turn is to be widened to 2m and reclassified as a cycle / footpath.

An additional project is being carried out by Oxfordshire County Council at the moment to improve connections from Chilton village to the primary school as part of the 'Better Ways to School' initiative.

22/12/07 Rail bike restrictions update

First Great western have introduced a new timetable from 10/12/07 and the rules for travelling with cycles have been changed.

Our Rail Links page (in cycle routes section) has been updated with a copy of the new 'Travelling With a Cycle' leaflet. Watch out for circular symbols on the timetables as these correspond to differing cycle restrictions.

Sustrans Connect2 has won the Big Lottery Fund's: The People's £50 Million Contest . This means that new cycle link projects all across the country will be funded. Hopefully this will include Didcot Cow Lane tunnel proposal. Although this was listed as a reserve project we hope it will get funded or the momentum created by Connect 2 will get the ball rolling with local authorities to get the tunnel built.

24/04/07 Cycle track reclassified.

Last week a new sign appeared on the Sustrans cycle route 44 in between the Harwell campus and Hagbourne Hill stating that the track is now a restricted byway. This means that motorised traffic is now forbidden to use this stretch.

18/04/07 Thames Water cycle track update.

Following further action by HarBUG & Oxfordshire highways, Thames Water have agreed to make a better job of the temporary repairs to the Sustrans cycle route 44 in between the Harwell campus and Hagbourne Hill. Repairs are due to start on the 13th May.

05/04/07 Thames Water start to repair cycle track

Thames Water have started to repair the Sustrans cycle track. To date the repairs are unsatisfactory as they have just thrown general building waste into the potholes (some stones are as large as a fist). This means that the surface is not suitable for cycling on. Oxfordshire highways have been informed and are contacting Thames water.

20/03/07 Thames Water to repair cycle track

Following action by Harwell Bicycle Users Group members, Oxfordshire highways have contacted Thames Water who have agreed to repair the Sustrans cycle track between the Harwell campus & Hagbourne Hill before the Action Against Breast Cancer sponsored ride in May. Works will need to continue on this section for 3 to 4 months. The Upton section will be repaired over the next couple of weeks after works have finished.

12/03/07 Thames Water Works at Hagbourne Hill

Thames water have been carrying out works at the Hagbourne Hill reservoir and laying a pipeline at the end of the old railway track in Upton village on the way to Didcot on Sustrans Route 44. The contractors have been using the cycle route to access the site and have left potholes, big lumps of mud, and subsidence along the way. HarBUG are contacting Sustrans and Thames Water to try and resolve this.

Thames Water make new plans for a reservoir in Oxforshire by creating as many potholes as possible in the Sustrans route to collect water.

Seriously, the problem is shown in the photo; the cement mixer lorry is leaning to the left as the track subsides into the ditch on the way to Hagbourne Hill from the Harwell Campus. Sustrans, Thames Water and Oxfordshire highways have all been contacted but there are no reports back yet.

There are also issues at the end of the old railway line section at Chapel Furlong in Upton, where the pipeline laying has crossed the route.

26/02/07 RAL New Amenity Building

The new amenity building (R85) at RAL is open. The building is available to all who work on the RAL site and is a particular boost for the provision of cycling facilities. The building includes Male & Female showers & changing rooms, lockers (including full height ones for clothes drying) and a covered cycle rack to take 9 cycles.

RAL are currently upgrading older cycle sheds, please see attached word document detailing the changes.

Email any news or comments.

HarBUG News & Issues

25/02/08 HarBUG's Response to the Natural Greenspaces and Country Park for Didcot - Feasibility Study Please find below access to HarBUG's response to South Oxfordshire District Council's proposal for Greenways. Opens window with Word document of the HarBUG response. 04/02/08 New Logo for HarBUG HarBUG has a new logo, pictured top left. The logo was picked out of from several options by members. The logo is design to reflect that HarBUG is based at a Science campus in a rural area, hence the use of the Green colour and modern molecular style design. 26/01/08 A4185 Cycle / Footpath Plans Approved At our AGM last summer UKAEA revealed proposed plans for an upgrade of the footpath alongside the A4185 into a combined cycle / footpath from the Sustrans route 44 through to the turn for the Chilton primary school, funded by UKAEA and STFC. The plans are now well advanced and although there are one or two points to clear with Oxfordshire County Council UKAEA hope to have the path finished by the summer. The main points of the plans are: The path coming off route 44 will remain and not be affected by the building of the new hotel. Curie Avenue junction will have speed cushions on the roads to calm traffic and a Yellow cross box to stop traffic from blocking the cycle crossing. The path remains the same along the edge of the sports field but with an improved junction at the Harwell main entrance, the concrete wall has to remain at the entrance. A new traffic island will be placed in the Harwell main entrance to aid the safe crossing of the junction. The footpath down to Fermi Avenue is to be widened to 2m and reclassified as a cycle / footpath. Zebra crossings are to be built at the entrance to Fermi Avenue. The footpath from Fermi Avenue to the Chilton primary school turn is to be widened to 2m and reclassified as a cycle / footpath. An additional project is being carried out by Oxfordshire County Council at the moment to improve connections from Chilton village to the primary school as part of the 'Better Ways to School' initiative. Opens window with PDF plan of new cycle / footpath. 22/12/07 Rail bike restrictions update First Great western have introduced a new timetable from 10/12/07 and the rules for travelling with cycles have been changed. Our Rail Links page (in cycle routes section) has been updated with a copy of the new 'Travelling With a Cycle' leaflet. Watch out for circular symbols on the timetables as these correspond to differing cycle restrictions. 22/12/07 Congratulations to Sustrans Connect 2 Sustrans Connect2 has won the Big Lottery Fund's: The People's £50 Million Contest . This means that new cycle link projects all across the country will be funded. Hopefully this will include Didcot Cow Lane tunnel proposal. Although this was listed as a reserve project we hope it will get funded or the momentum created by Connect 2 will get the ball rolling with local authorities to get the tunnel built. Opens window with Connect2 website for the Didcot project. 24/04/07 Cycle track reclassified. Last week a new sign appeared on the Sustrans cycle route 44 in between the Harwell campus and Hagbourne Hill stating that the track is now a restricted byway. This means that motorised traffic is now forbidden to use this stretch. 18/04/07 Thames Water cycle track update. Following further action by HarBUG & Oxfordshire highways, Thames Water have agreed to make a better job of the temporary repairs to the Sustrans cycle route 44 in between the Harwell campus and Hagbourne Hill. Repairs are due to start on the 13th May. 05/04/07 Thames Water start to repair cycle track Thames Water have started to repair the Sustrans cycle track. To date the repairs are unsatisfactory as they have just thrown general building waste into the potholes (some stones are as large as a fist). This means that the surface is not suitable for cycling on. Oxfordshire highways have been informed and are contacting Thames water. 20/03/07 Thames Water to repair cycle track Following action by Harwell Bicycle Users Group members, Oxfordshire highways have contacted Thames Water who have agreed to repair the Sustrans cycle track between the Harwell campus & Hagbourne Hill before the Action Against Breast Cancer sponsored ride in May. Works will need to continue on this section for 3 to 4 months. The Upton section will be repaired over the next couple of weeks after works have finished. 12/03/07 Thames Water Works at Hagbourne Hill Thames water have been carrying out works at the Hagbourne Hill reservoir and laying a pipeline at the end of the old railway track in Upton village on the way to Didcot on Sustrans Route 44. The contractors have been using the cycle route to access the site and have left potholes, big lumps of mud, and subsidence along the way. HarBUG are contacting Sustrans and Thames Water to try and resolve this. Thames Water make new plans for a reservoir in Oxforshire by creating as many potholes as possible in the Sustrans route to collect water. Seriously, the problem is shown in the photo; the cement mixer lorry is leaning to the left as the track subsides into the ditch on the way to Hagbourne Hill from the Harwell Campus. Sustrans, Thames Water and Oxfordshire highways have all been contacted but there are no reports back yet. There are also issues at the end of the old railway line section at Chapel Furlong in Upton, where the pipeline laying has crossed the route. 26/02/07 RAL New Amenity Building The new amenity building (R85) at RAL is open. The building is available to all who work on the RAL site and is a particular boost for the provision of cycling facilities. The building includes Male & Female showers & changing rooms, lockers (including full height ones for clothes drying) and a covered cycle rack to take 9 cycles. RAL are currently upgrading older cycle sheds, please see attached word document detailing the changes. Email any news or comments.